This role pays less than
58%
of similar roles. Most pay
$159,625–$231,000
— the shaded band above.
At the midpoint, this role pays about
$175k
versus about
$195k
for comparable roles.
Based on 240 similar postings.
Employer
About Oracle
Oracle Corporation is a leading multinational technology company specializing in database software, cloud computing, and enterprise software.
Oracle currently has
366 open roles
on FindRole.
Listed pay typically runs
$102,300–$209,500
across 336 roles with salary data.
Principal Core Infrastructure Engineer joins the Virtual Networking Data Plane organization to provide technical leadership for Card Management, a critical platform supporting SmartNIC and DPU provisioning, lifecycle management, security, observability, and operational readiness. This role involves designing and delivering reliable, scalable services for SmartNIC/DPU fleet management while leading architecture and technical strategy for platform software and infrastructure. The engineer will resolve complex system-level problems, improve automation and telemetry, and partner with hardware and software teams to validate designs. Key requirements include expertise in Linux, systems software, networking, and large-scale distributed systems. The role specifically addresses the challenge of building customizable VCN data plane services using programmable hardware to provide secure isolation and high availability. Candidates should possess experience with cloud infrastructure, virtual networking, and managing complex hardware/software integration within a large-scale cloud environment.
Lead the architecture and technical strategy for Card Management systems including provisioning and lifecycle management.
Design and deliver scalable services for SmartNIC and DPU fleet management within the OCI infrastructure.
Resolve complex system-level problems and make high-impact architectural decisions regarding platform security and reliability.
Improve automation, telemetry, performance, and operational processes for the Virtual Networking Data Plane.
Identify and mitigate risks related to platform security, reliability, and overall operational readiness.
Partner with hardware and software teams to define requirements and validate designs for new platform introductions.
Perform root-cause analysis on complex hardware/software issues and drive durable corrective actions during incidents.
What we're looking for
Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
8+ years of systems, platform, cloud infrastructure, networking, or distributed-systems engineering experience.
Strong experience with Linux, systems software, networking, automation, and large-scale service operations.
Experience designing and operating highly available, secure, and scalable infrastructure platforms.
Demonstrated ability to lead architecture and delivery across multiple engineering organizations.
Strong troubleshooting and root-cause analysis skills for complex hardware/software and distributed-system issues.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Experience with SmartNICs, DPUs, programmable networking hardware, or NIC firmware (preferred); experience with virtual networking, data plane systems, or cloud network virtualization (preferred).
Distributed Systems
Java
Go
Rust
C/C++
Linux
Kernel Programming
System Programming
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Cloud Infrastructure
Networking
Storage
Virtualization
Telemetry
Distributed Systems
System Programming
Java
Go
Rust
C/C++
Cloud Infrastructure
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Data Plane
Telemetry
Fault Injection
rate‑limiting
Distributed Systems
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Cloud Infrastructure
Data Plane
Telemetry
Monitoring
Alerting
rate‑limiting
Fault Injection
Scalability
Data Replication
Security Controls
Encryption
Automation
System Design
Distributed Systems
C++
C
DPDK
Infrastructure as Code (IaC)
Cloud Infrastructure
Data Plane
High-Concurrency Systems
Telemetry
Networking
Device Drivers
Performance Testing
Fault Injection